The Armenian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the repeated termination of gas supply to Artsakh as a result of Azerbaijan's provocative actions.

"Under the obvious interference of the Azerbaijani side, the supply of natural gas from Armenia to Nagorno Karabakh was again disrupted near the town of Shushi, on the territory under Azerbaijani control.

Because of the unprecedented snowfall and freezing weather conditions, about 120,000 people in Nagorno-Karabakh were deprived of vital gas supplies.

Just a few days ago, Azerbaijan didn't allow repair work to be carried out on a gas pipeline that was damaged under unclear circumstances for eight consecutive days.

Thus, in addition to other ongoing actions aimed at putting psychological pressure on the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and preventing international humanitarian agencies from entering Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan is deliberately undermining the normal functioning of vital infrastructure in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is clearly creating a humanitarian crisis.

We consider this blatant policy of systematic violence against the Armenians of Artsakh unacceptable.

This situation requires an urgent and clear response from the international community to prevent a humanitarian crisis, as well as the urgent and unimpeded involvement of international humanitarian agencies in Nagorno-Karabakh," the statement reads.

The gas supply problems started on 8 March. There was a breakdown at the Azerbaijani-controlled section of the gas pipeline from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh. The extent of the Azerbaijani involvement in the breakdown has not yet been clarified.

Under various pretexts the Azerbaijani side did not allow Armenian specialists to fix the pipeline. Azerbaijan undertook to repair the pipeline after long negotiations. Finally, the gas supply was resumed on 19 March, but it did not last long: in the evening of 21 March, the gas supply was stopped through the direct intervention of Azerbaijan.